This Teenage Life

In this episode, the teens describe moments when they feel purposeful and their understandings of the idea of purpose. We speak with Dr. Tony Burrow, a professor who studies purpose and researches the health benefits of purpose. Through his research, Dr. Burrow helps us reframe and examine the many benefits of cultivating senses of purpose. You can learn more about Dr. Burrows work here. Thank you to the Purpose Commons, a project of Hopelab, for sponsoring this episode. The Purpose Commons is a dynamic learning network where collaborators across the youth development ecosystem work together on projects that put the science of purpose to work for young people.  

In a world with so much pressure to excel academically, make family proud, and maintain financial stabiliity, it can feel difficult to pursue creative passions. These passions often get pushed aside as school and career planning takes over. But what if creativity is part of your job?  In this episode, the teens share their thoughts on favorite creative practices, how that's changed as they've gotten older, and whether or not they plan to pursue their creative passions in the future. We also chat with Peter Ha, a graphic designer in Canada, about what its like to pursue a creative career. He shares his journey of getting into the design field, thoughts on external pressures, and advice for young creatives.  For more information on Peter, visit his personal website and Equal Parts Studio. 

Many of us grew up consuming tv, movies, or social media that portrayed teenagehood in a very specific way - parties, sweet 16 birthdays, first kisses, drivers licenses, sleepovers, and more! There can be pressure to do all these things while still a teenager, but is this realistic? In this episode, the teens discuss how they approach the typical "teenage bucket list," grapple with stress to be a certain way, and live authentically in the present. 

In this new series, we chat with individual TTL participants about their life as a teenager in this exact moment. This episode features Saniya, a 16 year old from Canada, as she discusses familial pressures, starting her junior year of high school, racial dynamics in her city, pursuing soccer, and more. 

Graduating from high school is an exciting milestone to celebrate, but it can also be overwhelming! No matter what path you take, there are so many new unique challenges to face like homesickness, “adulting” tasks, and building new relationships. In this episode, some of our participants in India share their experiences being out of high school and taking on the adult world.

Finding your thing, your passion, your hobby — it's something so many teens and adults seek. Ellie, a teen based in New York City, was drawn to birds from a young age. Her interest has since blossomed into a much greater pursuit.   In this episode of TTL, we dive with Ellie into her bird world. We reflect on how to  translate what resonates with us into actions that connect us with ourselves, each other, and the natural world.

The internet is often seen as a chaotic and scary platform, but is it still possible to find genuine connections on it? In this episode, one of our contributers, Maith, shares how a humble attempt to create a blog (www.maithworld.blogspot.com) turned into a treasure trove of  friendships.  This is the first episode in Tech for Humans with Maith, a new series where she explores the complicated relationship teens have with technology to facilitate more dialogues on the topic. 

This week’s episode, led by 15-year-old TTL contributor, Lydia, is about gun violence in U.S. schools and gun control. Teens based in the U.S. talk about their experiences with lock downs, lock down drills, and what they think needs to change in order to make our schools safer.  Check out March for Our lives to see how you can join a movement to make our schools safer.  https://marchforourlives.org/  

Summer break is wrapping up in the US and college application season is on the horizon for many high school seniors. This time can bring about immense pressure, stress, and self-doubt. It can also be very exciting. This episode documents the emotional dimensions of the application process for two college-bound TTL participants as they reflect on this past year.

Join This Teenage Life participants for our first creative workshops in partnership with Culture Therapy! If you have ever wanted to learn how to make comics, write calligraphy, or meet and hang out with our team, please fill out this interest form.  In this episode, you will get to know our first workshop leaders, Kashika and Cloe, and learn about their experiences with their respective art forms, how creating has helped them, and why you should join us for their workshops!      

Birthdays can be a special time to celebrate the love and joy that comes with being alive. They can also be kind of...weird. Between planning parties, finding the perfect gift, navigating social media posts, being the center of attention, and a general expectation that it needs to be the best day ever, birthdays can often lead to stress or disappointment.  In this episode, we hear from the teens about their experiences with memorable birthdays, party planning, gift-giving, and more. We hope this episode normalizes all the feelings, good and bad, that come with birthdays. 

In times of stress, sadness, or loneliness, many of us turn to art to find solace and belonging. Whether it's a visual art practice, a musical experience, or a new hobby, creative pursuits can connect us to ourselves and others, supporting emotional wellbeing and mental health.   In this episode, the teens share how they use art in their lives. Our friends from culture therapy also share their experiences.    If you're interested in being part of art and  creativity centered online workshops, fill out this form. Also, check out culture therapy's Substack, along with TTL's new Substack!

For several of us at TTL, games like Minecraft and Roblox offer expansive digital universes in which we can make our own worlds and find other people with shared interests. In this episode, we hear from TTL participants along with members of the ExperienceCraft community, who use Minecraft as way to connect in the face of grief. Check out ExperienceCraft and and Connected Camps if you're looking for awesome ways to connect with teens interested in digital worlds and gaming!

For many young people, it can be hard to avoid the gossip, drama, and rumors that pass through the halls at school. While engaging in these behaviors can sometimes bring excitement, drama often leads to misunderstandings, hurt, and feelings of isolation. In this episode the teens discuss their thoughts on gossip, stories about rumors they have dealt with, and how to avoid school drama. 

It can be isolating and lonely to feel different from your peers, whether that's because of your identity, social and political beliefs, or simply the way you think about the world.   Fortunately, there are so many others out there who don't fit within various social norms who ar ealso working to construct community.   In this episode, TTL participants team up with hosts from the Future Perfect Project's podcast "I'm Feeling Queer Today" to explore what it means to be a "misfit," the strengths that come with being different, and how to find spaces where you belong.   While this episode is a celebration of Pride Month and the beauty of self acceptance, this conversation is for anyone who feels like they bump up against the status quo.   Thank you to Celeste, Emma, Lily, and Eric for joining us for this episode. Click the links below to learn more about their incredible work:  https://www.thefutureperfectproject.org/podcast https://www.thetrevorproject.org

The media is filled with stories about the global teen loneliness crisis. Yet, we rarely hear from teens themselves. In this episode, sponsored by Learning Enterprise at Arizona State University, we hear from teens around the globe about their experiences of contemporary loneliness, and how they're navigating it.    We hope this episode helps to destigmatize loneliness so people realize: while you might feel lonely sometimes, you are not alone in that feeling.    To learn more about ASU and This Teenage Life's partnership, go to https://info.learning.asu.edu/this-teenage-life

High school seniors are about to graduate, and many will head to college.  Starting college can come with a whole set of uknowns and distorted expectations of how the transition "should" go. In this episode, This Teenage Life contributor, Ummul, shares voice recordings of herself and her frieends from their freshman year. They share about their experiences navigating the transition to their new academic, residential, and social lives.

Grown-ups can often talk about teens and social media in a way that fails to capture real teens' experiences.The directors of the Center For Digital Thriving (CDT) are different — they get it. In this episode, TTL teens meet with CDT directors Emily and Carrie to discuss the mental gymnastics of navigating our relationships with tech and social media.    We hope this episode can inspire more conversations about teens and tech that are grounded in the experiences of teens themselves. For resources check out the Center for Digital Thriving resources page at: https://digitalthriving.gse.harvard.edu/resources/

In celebration of Earth Day, we made this episode about a person who, in the face of climate change, chose to take a risk and make something new.  In partnership with UNICEF USA, This Teenage Life teens speak with Alexia Akbay, founder of Symbrosia, a company that grows seaweed. When fed to cows, Symbrosia's product reduces cows' methane emissions.  To learn more about UNICEF's Innovation30 effort, supporting young climate innovators shaping the future, check out their website.

This past March, TTL celebrated its 5th birthday! In this episode, the teens share stories of how they joined TTL and what the community has meant for them. All our current participants used to be listeners. If you want to join us too—or reach out and request and episode topic or say hi—feel free to email us at team@thisteenagelife.org